Morris tribune., 1887-12-14

ming water. When they were wiped,
she hung the towel on the bushes, and
went to feed Mouser.
She felt queer to go to sleep in that
wild nook, AND the "hoot, boot" OF
an owl overhead made her get up and
sit by the embers on the hearth.
When the owl flew away, and she
could hear only the splashing OF the
brook, she crept back to bed again
and slept till Mouser woke her by try
ing to burrow under her neck.
Grandpa was gone, but soon return
ed with three fat trout from the
brook. These were done brown on a
spit, some potatoes were roasted IN
the ashes, and merry breakfast
they had of it. After prayers, grand
pa shouldered his AK, and, lifting Syl'
via to kiss her, said:
"Good.by. Take care o. things.
You're queen now OF the whole mount
ing"
"Queen! Dearie mel" replied Sylvia.
"Queens don't wash dishes, and darn
stockings. and"
81 don't know" he answered. eyes,
I guess some queens d want to darn
| their baby's stockings. Well ask
Queen Victoria about it when we go
to see her."
Sylvia looked sober. Any queen
would be glad to see grandpa, and she
would make her just the prettiest
work basket, with pink pin cushion
in one corner, and a rustic "V' work
| ed
"Good.by," little one!" said grand
pa.
Good by"
The dishes washed and the house
tidied, Sylvia took her pitcher to go
for the milk Over the old coal road
Mr. Marsh's cows passed to and from
pasture.
AS she walked along she looked far
down into the valley where lay her
home, low and white, with petals of
the white roses blowing from it like
snowflakes.
"Mr. Marsh she said, when she
had watched him milking awhile,
"please let me try to milk"
II want to know" he exclaimed.
"Lemme see your fingers. Oh! them
little things. They-why, old Gem'd
think they wuz fly legs and kick.
l L
| She tried, and succeeded so well that
the next Tuesday Mr.. Marsh said she
could do her own milking right at her
own door.
So, every morning, when she heard
the tinkling of the bell, she went out
with a carrot for old Gem, and MIXED
her yellow pitcher full.
Happy wood-life! But it all came
to an end one night in this way.
Supper was ready, puffy white bis
cults from Mrs. Marsh, and nice brown
slices Of lam on the table, and the
tea was simmering on the Goals.
Sylvia went to call her grandfather,
who was hard at work telling a tree
that seemed in danger OF failing on
the house; but he knew how to make
it fall away from the house.
"Supper's ready" she called.
Don't say" he replied. "Well, l
can't say as l am, quite; I'd like to
get this tree down first, Missy"
"Please, come now, an finish chop
pin after supper" Sylvia answered.
After supper he sat down in the red
freight.
"For just q minute" he said.
But soon-nod, nod, nod-he was
| fast asleep. In all hour he had start
ed up with wide open eyes, declaring
that he had "nigh about got to Sleep"
and pinching Sylvia's lips when they
smiled. They had both forgotten the
| half-felled tree, and soon they were
asleep in bed. Mouser and Towser
were asleep on the hearth, where the
| fire-which they usually needed in the
evening-drowsed slowly to sleep un-
der it's gray ashes.
When Sylvia awoke in the night the
wild souging OF the trees and the hard
| beating of the rain told that it was
storming. She lis tened awhile in
little dread, but soon slept calmly
again.
A frightful crash awoke her. She
started up. A falling timber had
struck her. With heart choked with
fright she sprang from her bed.
There lay grandpa, a huge limb of
the fallen tree across his body. She
went to him. He was breathing hardly.
ooh! Grandpa! Grandpa!"
A thread of scarlet wound across
his white forehead.
"Oh! Grandpa! Grandpa!"
But grandpa could not hear. Only
One could hear now. Her pale shiver.
ing lips moved, and her eyes looked
out through the open roof into the
dark sky.
The prayer was heard. It's answer
was brave heart. Calm and strong
now, she started to rise. A dart Of
pain from her bruised or broken limb
made her heart faint. She could not
walk, hardly crawl.
She crept slowly to the door. 1t
had ceased raining. Din1ly she saw
the tree tops surge and fall, like dark,
| wild waves, down the mountain side.
She crept back. The blood oozed
still from the broken temple. In a
moment she had torn a sleeve from
her night dress and bound the wound.
Then she bowed her head upon the
| breast, where the old heart beat faint